Paper-fastener



(No Model.)

G. W. MGGILL. PAPER PASTENEB...

Patented Mar. 25', 1890-.

NV PETERS. Phoiohlhognnhnr. Washinginn. D. C.

fplex wire shank formed from a continuous UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE \V. MCGILL, OF RIVERDALE, NEW YORK;

PAPER-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,337, dated March 25, 1890.

Application filed December 21,1889- Serial No. 334,558. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE V. MCGILL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverdale, New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Paper-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the construction of paper-fasteners; and the purpose thereof is to provide a metallic T-fastener having a duplex shank formed of a continuous flexible wire, the free ends thereof lying in close parallel contact and adapted to be folded 01' clinched down in any direction,the other end or fold being secured in a metallic cap by means of a washer.

It is one purpose of my invention,also, to provide a fastener of this type in which the duplex shank shall be secured at its fold in a metallic cap by means of a washer having a single centralopening for said shank.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combina tions of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and then definitely pointed out in the claim following this specification.

To enable others to understand and practice said invention, I will describe itin connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the duiiexible wire and provided with a fold. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the metallic washer. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the shank inserted in the washer. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the completed fastener, having a cap or button inclosing the washer. Fig. -5 is a sectional view showing the fastener inserted and clinched.

The reference-numeral l in said drawings denotes the duplex shank of the fastener, which is formed of a continuous piece of flexible wire, the free ends whereof are in close parallel contact and adapted to be bent, folded, or clinched in any direction. The

other end or fold 2 of this shank consists of a portion of the continuous wire forming the latter, which is preferably bent into substantially circular form, constituting aloop which lies at a right angle with the duplex shank, those portions of the wire from which the shank springs being bent or turned inward, or toward the center of the loop to bring the free ends into close parallel contact and support the shank upon all sides.

The referei'ice-numeral 3 denotes a metallic washer, preferably of circular form, and provided with a single and substantially central opening 4, through which the free ends of the duplex shank are inserted until its outer end or fold 2 rests upon said washer, as shown in Fig. 3. In this position the fold or loop by reason of its form and construction approximately follows the contour of the washer and practically surrounds the opening in the washer and the shank lying therein upon all sides and at a nearly uniform distance therefrom at all points.

The numeral 5 denotes the metallic buttoncap in which the fold or other end of the shank is secured. This cap is struck from any suitable metal, and is upset upon the washer 3, its edge being turned inward to clamp the lower flat face of said washer. The top of this cap may be flat or convex, and it sets closely against the fold or loop 2, thereby confining it firmly between the cap and the washer, while the loop acts as a support or felling for the top of the cap.

The fastener thus constructed maybe used for any of the purposes for which paper-fasteners are employed and the free ends of its shank are adapted to be bent, folded, or clinched in any direction irrespective of the position of the fastener-head. For example, they may be bent in the same plane in two different but parallel planes, or in two planes intersecting at an angle.

A paper-fastener has heretofore been patented to me having a shank formed of flat metal and inserted in a pierced cap or shell, which is turned inward over the semicircular heads of the two-part shank. The shank is formed, however, of two separate pieces or strips of metal, which can be bent or clinched in a single plane only, and which are held in union by the pierced shell through whichthey are inserted. A cap which incloses and covcrs the other or heading endsis not employed. A paper-fastener has also been heretofore Too patented to me consisting of two fiat prongs placededge to edge in the same plane and having their outer end or ends bent in the same or in opposite directions, the prongs being inserted in a, slotted washer which is inclosed by a cap. The prongs or free ends may be bent or clinched in different parallel planes, but in no other direction, and the 0011- struction of the other or heading end or ends of the shank or prongs is widely different from that shown and described in the present application. .A paper-fastener has also heretofore been patented to me having shanks or prongs bent into parallelism, formed of a sin gle continuous piece of wire and inserted in separate openings in a metallic washer; but in this invention the prongs are separated by a considerableinterval andlie in widely-separated openings in the metallic washer instead of being in close parallel contact, and consequently, when applied, enter the article being bound at different points. A fastener has also been patented to me in which the duplex shank is formed of a single wire, the folded center of which is secured in a concavo-conveX metallic cap by swagin g the m etal in the under side of the cap around it by .nature in presence of two witnesses.

means of peculiarly-constructed swaging-dies and drawing the periphery of the cap down below the base of the swaged collar. This construction is much more-expensive than that herein described, which admits of the use of a flat round cap and fiat washer in place of the concavo-convex cap with its swaged or drawn clamping-collar and its periphery dependent to cover the collar.

What I claim is As an improved article of manufacture, a paper-fastener consisting of a single piece of wire formed into a looped head bent toward the center and thence extending into two straight shanks at right angles to the head and in close parallel contact, a washer underlying the looped wire head, and having an orifice through which the parallel wire shanks extend and a cap overlaying the looped Wire head and engaged with the washer, substantially as described and shown.

In testimony whereof I have affi Xed my sig- GEORGE WV. MCGILL. Witnesses:

THos. B. KENT, HENRY Soorr. 

